Hot-water heating system.



PATBNTED APR. 5, 1904.

G. L. RANKIN.

HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEM.

YAPPLICATION FILED FEB. Z6, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNiTun STATES Patented April 5, 1904. i

PATENT OFFICE.

HOT-WATER HEATING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent .No. 756,282), dated April 5, 1904.

Application flied February 26, 1903. Serial No. 145,269. (No model.)

To a/ZZ IIJ/1,071?, it Amfry/ concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. RANKIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greenville, in the county otMercer and State' of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hot -I/Vater Heating Systems; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in hot-water heating systems; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.

One object of my invention is to accelerate the circulation oi' the hot water through the riser and return pipes and the radiators.

A further object of my invention is to lessen the necessary boiler-pressure to keep the water in circulation.

A further object of my invention is to provide siphonically-operating means to empty the riser or return pipes or the aifected radiator in the event oi' the bursting or leaking of either of them, and thus avoid injury to the interior of the building in which the system is installed or the contents of said building.

In the accompanying drawings,'Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation oi' a hot-water heating system embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the connection between the riser-pipe and one of the radiators, showing an automatic back-acting valve in said connection. Eig. 3 is a similar View showing a preferred form of radiator and its connections. Fig. 4 is a similar view of one of the emptying-siphons.

The riser-pipe 1 leads upwardly from the boiler 2 through the various stories of the building. At the upper end of said riser-pipe is a vacuum-tank 3, which is in communication therewith and is provided on its upper side with an air-valve 4.

The radiators 5 may be of any suitable construction, but are preferably of the construction shown in Fig. 3,and are each connected at an elevated point to the riser-pipe, as at 6, and

at a point at or near the bottom to the returnpipe 7, as at 8. The return-pipe discharges water into the lower portion of the boiler or heater 2. In each connection 6, excepting the uppermost, is a manually-operated valve 9, adapted to establish or cut off communication between the radiators and the riser-pipe at will. Each connection 6, excepting the u ppermost, has a communicating valve-chamber 10 on its upper side, oi' suitable size, of cylindrical form, and having a removable tightlyfitting cap 11. A spherical loat-valvc 12 of suitable size and weight and made of suitable material is adapted to rise and fall in each of said connections and its valve-chamber. Each oi' said connections has a ground valve-seat 13 on the side toward the riser-pipe and has in its lower side below the valve-chamber an inclined seat 14, adapted to direct the valve by gravity to the seat 13, where the valve is lowered, as indicated in dotted lines in Eig. 2. In each cap 11 is an air-Valve 15. The radiators vary in size, the lowest being of greatest capacity, asshown in Fig. 1. At a suitable` point, preferably in the lowest story, Siphon-pipes 16 are connected to the riser and return pipes by inverted-Y connections 17, each oi' which has a manually-operated valve 18. Each of said Siphon-pipes is provided at its highest point with an air-valve 19. Normally the valves 12 are in open position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. Their function is in the event of a leak or break in any part of the system to close against the admission oi water to the radiators as the water falls in the riser-pipe. In this event a backward current is caused, water returns through the inlet, and as the last Water passes back into the riser-pipe the valve falls with the receding current and because oil the suction thereof and seals this outlet to the riser-pipe, thus keeping the latter air-tight at all points below the breech or air-vent caused by a break. Hence in the event of a break or leak in a radiator or in the return-pipe the valve 12 will prevent the radiator neXt below the leak from draining before the pipes and radiators above and air from passing through said radiator by the water-channel and preventing the proper siphonic action of the riser and return pipes v with the former as the longleg of the siphon.

The function of the Siphon-pipes 16 is to drain the circulating system when air is admitted thereto by a break or leak, andhence prevent injury to the house and its contents.

To charge the system with water, the same is admitted at any suitable point, the watervalves 9 18 and the air-valves 4, 15, and 19 being open. When the water reaches the valves 19, the valves 18 should be closed. Close the air-valves 15 of the radiators as each is reached by the rising water and close the air-valve 4 of the vacuum-chamber 3 after the latter is completely filled with water. The supply is then cut olf and the valves 18 (one or-both) opened until the vacuum-chamber is empty, as indicated in Fig. 1. Said valves 18 are then closed. The vacuum in the vacuum-chamber above the column of water in the riser-pipe reacts on said column, diminishes the pressure in the boiler or heater, and materially promotes the circulation of water from the boiler through the riser-pipe and radiators and the return-circulation to the boiler, and hence increases the efliciency of the heating system and enables a material economy of fuel to be eiected. The siphons 16 in addition to their functions hereinbefore set forth also effect water seals at the lower portions of the riser and return pipes and prevent air from entering them.

I do not desire to limit myself to the present construction and combination of devices herein described, as it is evident that modiications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what and return pipes, a plurality of radiators dis-.

posed at different elevations and connected thereto, the connection between each lower Vradiator and the riser-pipe including a valve to close against back pressure, a manually-operated valve to admit air, and a manually-operated valve to establish and cut off communication between the riser-pipe and radiator, and means to drain the riser and return pipes.

3. A hot-water heating system having riser and return pipes, a plurality of radiators disposed at different elevations and connected thereto, the connection between each lower radiator and the riser-pipe including a valve to close against back pressure, a manually-op-- erated valve to admit air, and a manually-op erated valve to establish and cut off communication between the riser-pipe and radiator,

and means to drain the riser and return pipes independently of each other.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE L. RANKIN.

Witnesses:

T. C. WHITEMAN, SAMUEL J. OBR. 

